standers. overseer

In endeavouring to nscue one of the other men the began to feel himself affected by the gas. He came at

half way up the ladder, and from there the servants around assisted him to come out of the well. The two coolies still in the well were then quickly brought up by the other servants of the establishment. The asphyxiated individuals were, all three, still alive when brought up. Their breathing was short and once

One of them was frothing at the mouth. The overthen hurried away to try and obtain immediate medical assistance. Not succeeding in his endeavours, he returned in about 20 minutes, and still found the three men breathing. They were put into a carriage, but before they reached the labored. seer

hospital all three were dead. Thus they seem to have lived for nearly half an hour after being first exposed to the influence of the gas. The bodies were examined about 6 hours after death. The following notes ave descriptive of the post-mortem appearances found:? No. 1.?Jalim Khan, a large, well-formed, powerful Mahome-

dan, apparently between 20 and 25 years of age. Countenance? very placid. Remarkably little rigor mortis ; hands half-closed, but nut clenched. There were abrasions on the right hand, wrist, shoulder and thighs, and a linear cut on the vertex of the head, but these external injuries need not be described, in detail, here. Pupils?both slightly dilated. Head?on removing the skull-cap, about 6 or 7 ounces of thin florid blood escaped. Brain?of natural consistence, presenting a considerable amount of arterial, punctated vascularity; otherwise rather pale. Heart?not diseased ; contained altogether 7 or 8 ounces of fluid blood, more scarlet in color than usual. This was most marked in the right auricle and ventricle. The structure of the heart

was

soft; there

was

a

distinct absence of cardiac

contraction.

DEATHS FROM COAL GAS.

By Surgeon

D. B.

Smith,

M.

D.,

Civil

Surgeon,

Hoivrah.

I think it right to record the following notes regarding the sudden death of three strong men who fell victims to the mephitic action of coal gas, and whose bodies were very care-

fully

examined.

On the

morning

the corpses of to the dead-house of the Howrah

of the 11th

January, 1872,

three natives were brought General Hospital, the following statement

being

at

the same

time communicated to me by the European overseer of the Howrah gas works, where the accident happened :?By the side of the large gas-holder is a deep dry well. At the bottom of this is a syphon tube, from which is pumped the water resulting from the condensation of the gas. This pumping is usually attended to every other day. On the present occasion it had been neglected for 8 or 9 days; there was, consequently, an accumulation of water in the syphon. The cooly who was in the habit of attending to this work was ordered by the overseer to go and see to it carefully. The overseer then turned into

house, which was close by. The cooly who had neglected the work for a week, and whose life was sacrificed in consequence, called two other coolies to come and assist him. They all three descended into the dry well by a ladder. The plug being taken off the top of the syphon, a sudden escape of accumulated gas must have occurred. "Within 7 or 8 minutes

his

of the time when the overseer gave his last order to the cooly, information was suddenly brought to him that the three men were dead(?) in the well. The overseer at once proceeded to the spot, and himself descended the ladder; he found the three senseless at the bottom of the well. He proceeded them, and told the bystanders to go for ropes. A little delay occurred about this?perhaps 7 or 8 minutes. "When a rope was brought, the overseer went down and tied it round one of the men, who was then pulled up by the by-

men to

lying

try and

rescue

Lungs?somewhat emphysematous throughout ; otherwise healthy. Trachea?lining membrane slightly vascular; a little frothy mucus above the vocal chords; a peculiar odour slightly perceptible. sweet, naphthous Liver?quite healthy ; gall bladder half filled with dark bile. Spleen?quite healthy; florid on section. Kidneys?normal. Stomach? empty; normal. Intestines?perfectly healthy throughout; not distended.

Bladder?more than half full of urine.

No. II.?Jugroo. The body of a tolerably well-formed Hindoo, of the Gwalla caste, apparently about 25 years of age. Countenance?placid ; very little rigor mortis; a few abrasions and contusions such as might have been caused by a fall from a slight height. Pupils? both slightly dilated. Head?on opening the head about 6 ounces of bright blood escaped. Brain perfectly healthy; somewhat pale on section, except where arterial puncta appeared; natural moisture in the verHeart?not diseased; contained about 6 ounces of tricles. bright, fluid blood: most bright in the right cavities; heart cardiac contraction. structure soft; no Lungs?somewhat emphysematous throughout, and distended with air; otherwise healthy ; trachea, slightly vascular internally ; a peculiar sweet odour observable, (not so distinct as in No. I.) Liver?healthy. Spleen?somewhat enlarged and soft; brighter than usual on section. Kidneys?normal. Stomach?empty and perfectly healthy. Intestines?not over-distended; healthy; feculence normal; one worm (ascaris lumbricoides) found. Bladder? half full of urine.

No. III.?Uldeen. The body of a healthy, well-formed Mahomedan, apparently between 20 and 25 years of age. Countenance?placid; no rigor mortis; no external marks of injury. Pupils?right slightly contracted ; left slightly dilated; pannus of right eye. Head-on opening the head 8 or 9 ounces of bright fluid blood escaped. Brain?healthy ; arterial puncta very distinct on section ; on other pecularities. Heart?normal in size and appearance ; contained altogether about 6 ounces of unusually bright blood, most bright on the right side. Substance of right ventricle, soft ; the walls of the left ventricle of some-

April 1,

1872.]

CHOLERA. IN CALCUTTA.?BY C. MAOIST AMAE A.

what leathery feel. Lungs?both somewhat emphysematous ; otherwise quite healthy. Trachea?normal; a little froth above the vocal chords; a peculiar sweet smell slightly observable. Liver?normal. Spleen?double its natural size ; rather soft;

bright on section. Kidneys?somewhat engorged with arterial blood ; otherwise healthy. Stomach?contained a frothy yellow mucus; no food ; healthy. Lntestines?normal; not distended ; contained two lumbrici; there was slight indication of involuntary discharge of faeces, and also of seminal emission (this was not observable in the other two cases). Bladder?half full of urine. Remarks.?It is well worthy of note that the blood in the l ight side of the heart in all these three cases was of a distinctly brighter hue than on the left side. This observation was careand may be relied on. I do not know whether it been noted' before in similar cases. The blood generally was not only more florid, but also more fluid than usual. The other peculiarities of these cases consisted in remarkable

fully made, has

ever

of countenance, great absence of rigor mortis, a flaccid condition of the heart, with softness of its structure, and a somewhat unusual arterial vascularity of most of the internal

placidity

organs. The peeuliar naphthous odour was perceptible in the trachea of all three cases. I cannot say that it was perceptible in the stomach, although attention was devoted to this point; was very faintly perceived in the lungs, on section. It may be added that the muscular textures of the body, when exposed, presented a peculiarly dry appearance, being at the same time of a more florid color than usual.

it

.

/

77